Chairman's Reserve Original

At the threshold of the third millennium, the chairman Laurie Barnard thinks about posterity and undertakes the honorable reconstruction mission of the iconic style of St. Lucian Rum. That's how "Chairman' Reserve" was created. Was this grandiloquent concept reflecting the justified concern that local rum would fade?

Plantations exploiting the African slaves have prospered here since the 18th century. The island was precious therefore the rule over it changed frequently. At that time, St. Lucia was called the 'Helen of the West Indies', referring to the astonishing beautiful mythological Helen of Troy.

In the last century many distillers shut down, the remaining two consolidated into St. Lucia Distillers. Sugarcane isn't cultivated on the island anymore thus raw material is delivered from Guyana. St. Lucia Distillers gradually diversified rum offer and emphasized their expertise in blending process. The true measure of success is reputation.

Laurie Barnard chaired not only the distillery but also Ministry of Tourism. Both functions complement each other perfectly though. Is there any more accurate association than the white-powdery-sand of Caribbean and the rum-shimmering-color in a tumbler?

Even if the label shows the volcanic peaks of Pitons - symbols of Saint Lucia - molasses comes from Guyana. Both pot and continuous still rums are first separately aged few months in new American oak, then again separately in ex-bourbon casks after Jim Beam and Buffalo Trace, then blended and finally matured together. The average age of bottled blend is five years.